Ctrl-Alt-Speech

We're taking a little break from our regular weekly news roundups this month, but we've got a couple special episodes lined up in the mean time, starting with a conversation all about the past and future of Ctrl-Alt-Speech. This week, Mike and Ben talk about how the podcast got started, how we create the episodes, our philosophy about sponsorship, and what we need to make Ctrl-Alt-Speech sustainable in the long run. We hope you enjoy it!  Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

Our second annual live at TrustCon recording of Ctrl-Alt-Speech! Ben was unable to make the trip halfway around the world, but Mike was joined by trust & safety influencer Alice Hunsberger from Musubi and Ashken Kazaryan, a Senior Legal Fellow at the Future of Free Speech at Vanderbilt University. They cover:As millions adopt Grok to fact-check, misinformation abounds (Al Jazeera)Analysis Of Grok’s Epstein Comments Show How This AI Chatbot Is Learning (Forbes)People With Body Dysmorphia Are Spiraling Out After Asking AI to Rate Their Looks (Rolling Stone)Can A Chatbot Be Your Therapist? Casper’s Neil Parikh Launches A New $93 Million-Backed Startup To Try (Forbes)A Realist Perspective on Trust & Safety (Tech Policy Press)This week’s sponsor is Modulate. In our bonus chat Mike Masnick talks with Modulate founder and CEO Mike Pappas, live at TrustCon, about the kinds of voice scams they’re seeing, with a focus on scams using social engineering techniques to pressure people to do things they probably shouldn’t do. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

David Sullivan, Executive Director of the Digital Trust and Safety Partnership, shares insights on the newly launched SAFE framework, aiming to set standardized practices in online trust and safety. He dives into current challenges in content moderation, the implications of UK age verification rules for child safety, and ethical dilemmas surrounding non-consensual imagery. Sullivan also discusses the evolving landscape of online regulations and the importance of media literacy in protecting users from threats like sextortion scams.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:Jack Cable calls out Cluely over bogus DMCA (X)The cofounder of the viral AI 'cheating' startup Cluely says he only hires people for 2 jobs (Business Insider)Missouri AG: Any AI That Doesn’t Praise Donald Trump Might Be “Consumer Fraud” (No, Really) (Techdirt)Instagram wrongly accuses some users of breaching child sex abuse rules (BBC)Elon Musk’s Grok AI chatbot praises Adolf Hitler on X (FT)Grok Becomes ‘MechaHitler,’ Twitter Becomes X: How Centralized Tech Is Prone To Fascist Manipulation (Techdirt)See the leaked teen social media ban tech trial report that has experts worried (Crikey)New anti-fraud system is labelling hospital texts and other legitimate messages as ‘likely scam’ (Irish Independent)Why Ireland’s New “Scam Likely” Labels Might Actually Make SMS Fraud Worse for Banks and the Public (Medium)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

Mike and Ben dive into the nuanced world of misinformation, discussing how fears might be exaggerated. They explore the implications of Brazil's digital liability ruling, raising concerns about free speech suppression. The mental health struggles of content moderators take center stage, shedding light on their unseen burdens. Lively debates on the effectiveness of content regulation and the role of labor rights add depth to the conversation. Finally, they tackle innovative AI solutions for managing community notes, revealing both excitement and caution.

In this week’s roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Ben is joined by guest host Bridget Todd, a technology and culture writer, speaker and trainer and host of two great podcasts, There are No Girls on the Internet and IRL: Online Life is Real Life. Together, they cover:AI Models And Parents Don’t Understand ‘Let Him Cook’ (404 Media)Trial reveals flaws in tech intended to enforce Australian social media ban for under-16s (The Guardian)Inside /r/SGExams: Meet the young volunteers behind 1 of S’pore’s largest online forums for students (Straits Times)The people who clean up your TikTok feed are starting to fight back (Rest of World)Man with real-life girlfriend and child proposes to AI chatbot after programming it to flirt: ‘I think this is actual love (New York Post)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

Mercy Mutemi, a prominent lawyer and managing partner at Nzili & Sumbi Advocates in Nairobi, dives into the complexities of online content moderation across Africa. She discusses the legal battles involving Meta, highlighting human rights concerns and the mental health toll on moderators. The conversation reveals the challenges faced by African creators on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, emphasizing the need for equitable tech practices. Moreover, Mercy unpacked the ethical implications of international job scams, raising critical questions about free speech and digital exploitation.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:He’s a Master of Outrage on X. The Pay Isn’t Great. (NY Times)The vulnerable teen drawn into far-right extremism online (Financial Times)X, Bluesky and Reddit in France’s crosshairs amid porn clampdown (Politico)EU sidesteps Macron’s ultimatum to ban social media for kids under 15 (Euractiv)Commission seeks feedback on the guidelines on protection of minors online under the Digital Services Act (European Commission)OnlyFans releases stern statement as it DEACTIVATES Bonnie Blue’s account for defiant reason (The Tab)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

Zeve Sanderson, the Founding Executive Director of the NYU Center for Social Media and Politics, joins the discussion to tackle the accountability of tech companies in cases of radicalization linked to online platforms. They delve into the persuasive power of large language models and examine various recent laws aimed at regulating AI, such as California's AI Transparency Act. Carter Huffman, CTO of Modulate, shares insights on innovative voice technology designed for fraud detection, highlighting its role in countering sophisticated impersonation tactics.

Hank Green, a renowned YouTube creator and educator behind channels like VlogBrothers and Crash Course, joins the discussion on content moderation and education. They dive into the challenges online creators face due to changing algorithms. Hank shares insights on the use of AI tools in academia and the tensions it creates between students and professors. The conversation also highlights innovative educational initiatives and the need for responsible content regulation, emphasizing the critical balance between technology and free speech.